


In Confidence

by pagerunner



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 19:03:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9507821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pagerunner/pseuds/pagerunner
Summary: Percy's evening takes an unexpected turn when Keyleth comes to him for advice. About sex. Oh dear. Set early in Keyleth & Vax's relationship.





	

Percy was alone in his workshop when Keyleth found him for what he’d later refer to as That Conversation. Being otherwise unobserved was a mercy, really, because when she greeted him, fumbled through the half-hearted beginnings of polite conversation, then blurted out, “I need to ask you some advice. About…sex,” he made the most undignified sound imaginable, and almost dropped a hammer on his foot.

It had been an uneventful evening up until that point. Percy had been catching up on some weapon repairs and minor improvements: nothing glamorous, just odd jobs and necessities. He hadn’t prepared for company, and in fact had thought the door was locked for safety’s sake. Still, here was Keyleth, looking like she’d been readying for sleep before restlessly wandering off. Her circlet was absent, her hair was loose, and, to Percy’s horror, her feet were bare. He tried to shoo her back from the metal shavings all around him even as he asked at an unfortunately high pitch, “What?”

“I know, I know, that came out of nowhere. I’m sorry. But I…I’ve had a lot on my mind. And I wanted to talk to someone. Because…there’s Vax. And I’m not sure how to go about this, and…”

Percy took in a deep breath. This was happening. This of all conversations was suddenly happening. He rubbed one hand over his face. “All right. Let’s…slow down. I’m going to finish what I was doing before something explodes, and you can sit there, on that bench, and then when I’m done we’ll talk about whatever exactly is troubling you. Does that sound good?”

“Yes.” She nodded perhaps a bit too quickly. “Okay.”

“Right.” Percy looked at her a moment longer, then turned sharply to his worktable to square away his equipment. By the time he was done and had shrugged off his protective leathers, leaving him in an admittedly sweaty shirt and with soot probably smudged every which way, Keyleth was seated and had moved on to worrying at her hair while tracing patterns across the dusty floor with one big toe. Percy brushed his hands clean on a nearby cloth and sat beside her. For a second both of them just thought.

Finally he said, “I’m sorry if I was abrupt just then, but you took me rather aback, and I have to ask…”

“Why I asked you?”

“Well, that and other things.”

Keyleth nodded and let both hands fall into her lap. “I guess I’ll start over. So. You know Vax and I have kind of started a relationship. Thing. Obviously.”

“Yes, that was a bit noticeable.”

“And we’ve kissed, and that was nice, and we’ve cuddled, and _that_ was nice, and there’ve been a few other things—“

“I’m willing to take your word on that without exhaustive detail.”

“But I’ve never _done_ this before.” Her expression turned both concerned and annoyed. “I mean, I know how it _works,_ I’m not stupid. It’s not considered shameful among the Ashari to discuss our bodies, we’re taught how to be responsible and respectful, I know my cantrips, but it’s just…complicated, when it’s new. And I want to figure out how to make it good more than only knowing the basics. You know?”

Percy wasn’t sure whether to nod in understanding or feel more alarmed at what his part in this conversation was expected to be. He settled for saying, “Um, yes?”

“But I had no idea who to ask. I mean, I _can’t_ talk to Vex, not about her brother. She’ll just pretend to vomit. Or actually vomit.”

“Either seem likely.”

“And I’d be fine with asking Pike”—which she said casually enough that Percy had an unusually vivid moment of contemplating their cleric’s sex life, which he made himself stop immediately—“but she’s not here. So I started thinking maybe I should talk to one of the boys instead, to get your perspective? But…that leaves me with Grog. Or Scanlan.”

Percy said faintly, “Dear gods, don’t start with Scanlan.”

“Or there’s you.” She gave him a faintly wistful smile. “And I trust you.”

“Well.” A little flicker of feeling, fond and also wistful in its own way, went through him. “That’s dreadfully misguided of you, but I suppose I should be flattered.”

Keyleth nudged his shoulder with her own, making a _pfft_ sort of noise, then sighed. “So. That’s why I’m here. Asking for advice. Because I figured you’d know, and…” She stopped short. “Um. I mean. You _do_ know, right? Because you’ve never actually talked about sex much, and I figured you were just being stuffy like usual, but I might be—oh, gods, don’t tell me I assumed…”

Percy knew, just _knew,_ that he was turning bright red. “No. That is, yes, I’ve had sex, and no, you didn’t wrongly assume. Although considering me any kind of expert reference is giving the situation more credit than it deserves.” He cast his own gaze skyward. “And Pelor above, I was not prepared to be having this conversation.”

“So was it with women, or men, or…?”

Percy made another strangled sound. “Let’s set that aside and go on with saying I’m familiar with your general scenario, all right?”

“All right.” She paused. Percy waited her out, watching her work her way to an even more tentative question. “So would you say there’s anything I should do that he might…like?”

He opened his mouth, shut it again. Of course the mere question made thoughts flit around his head—bits of memories and ideas trying to get his attention—but none of those, he knew, were the point just now. “Keyleth, I think perhaps that’s…not the first step.”

She sounded frustrated. “I need _somewhere_ to start.”

“But that ought to be with you.” He turned on the bench to face her better, reaching for words as he did. The best he felt he could do was work with the evidence at hand, and the consideration he knew Keyleth deserved. “Listen. I can’t speak for Vax’s preferences, which is another point I’ll be getting to, but I know he’s aware you’re new to this, and that he doesn’t mean to pressure you. And”—his voice went slightly wry—“no matter how much shit Vax and I may give each other, I can trust without reservation that in this, he’ll be kind.”

“I know _that._ I just…I don’t want to be some fragile, wilting flower.” She grimaced and kicked at a stray casing, sending it pinging off across the floor. “I want to impress him.”

Remembering the awed look he’d seen on Vax’s face many a time when watching Keyleth, Percy said quietly, “I assure you, you already do.”

“Really?”

“Most definitely.”

“So you mean…”

“Just be you, Keyleth.” He meant to stop there, but a few more things slipped out, no matter how he knew both of them could be about compliments. “Fierce, gentle, unsure, powerful, however you’re feeling. He knows those things about you. He loves you for them. I have to give him credit for that, because he’s right to.”

She blushed and hunched her shoulders around her ears. After a minute of thought, she relaxed somewhat. She hooked her hair back over one ear, twisted her lips, then blew out a long breath. “So you’re basically saying just show up, wing it, and hope for the best?”

“Well, not just that. I think it’s more important to talk to Vax than talk to me. If you’re trying to figure out some sort of…of sexy surprises, you can get to that when you’re more familiar with each other.” He paused. “Why are you smirking at me?”

“Sexy surprises,” she repeated, exaggerating his tone. Percy groaned.

“You _asked,”_ he protested, a little despairing, and she laughed. Oddly, it helped. “Also a valid point.” He gestured to her with one hand. “Don’t make the mistake of taking any of this too seriously.”

“The whole thing _is_ pretty absurd, isn’t it?”

“Sex? Yes.” He hitched one shoulder. “But it’s not without its charms. As it were.”

“That’s how you’re summing it up.”

“You did say I was insufferably stuffy.”

“Not _insufferably,”_ she retorted, but Percy nudged her this time. Keyleth responded by leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. Percy tilted a look at her.

“What was that for?”

“For helping,” she said simply.

“Well. Thank you. Although I’m not sure I gave you anything sufficiently specific.”

“You gave me enough,” she said, and got up, brushing her dress straight. Percy looked at her there in the firelight and pondered a few things in silence until she interrupted him with, “Besides, I did get some suggestions from other people. Like a couple scented oils that might be useful…”

Percy’s thoughts ground to a halt and provided him a too-vivid image instead. “Um.”

“And Synala told me a long time ago that practicing with cucumbers can help”—she gestured a little too closely to her lips for Percy’s comfort—“although I don’t know if it’s the season around here for those?”

“Keyleth,” he said, strained. She laughed again, giving him a broad wink she was clearly trying to copy from Vex.

“And here I didn’t even get as far as creative uses for grasping vines,” she said, before he started waving his hands and saying, “Enough. Enough. I didn’t need to know about that part. _Out.”_

She was still laughing when she ducked outside his door, leaving Percy alone and a little bit shellshocked. “What just…” he murmured, before trailing off into a chuckle of his own. After a while, he got up and returned to his work, silently wishing her well and all the confidence she needed.

And although the room may have gone dimmer for Keyleth’s absence, at least the thought of her parting smile lingered for a while.


End file.
